Noel O'Donovan (Fine Gael)

I thank the Minister of State for being here. It is really welcome that fisheries are being discussed by means of this motion. That is not to say the issue of fisheries has not been discussed in decades gone by. With the programme for Government and the introduction of a Minister of State for the marine and fisheries and a committee to discuss fisheries, however, there is now a new and solid footing for representing the issues here.

As the Minister of State is aware, I represent west Cork, which has a proud fishing tradition at many of its ports. I developed an interest in fishing with my late uncle. We did a bit of leger fishing, ending up at the pier at Union Hall to watch the boats coming in and out. I remember the size of the fish coming in, including the big tuna. I used to love to be there to watch it all happening. It is not happening any more. That, to me, is wrong.

There is a sense of injustice in the fishing industry. When you talk to people, they will blame politicians and say fishing is a lost cause and that nothing can be done. They are right to say it, but there is a small minority still in existence who have hope. They see hope on the horizon that fishing finally has a place and is going to be taken seriously by the Government. We have to have results in the coming years to sustain that hope.

I am delighted to formally second this motion on the future of the fishing industry. The sector that sustained coastal communities for generations and now faces one of the most difficult periods in its history. To be straight and honest without being alarmist, it faces total annihilation. To understand today’s crisis, we must be honest about how we got here. When Ireland entered the Common Fisheries Policy in the 1980s, it had extensive waters and stocks but ended up with a deal that has brought us to where we are now. The deal we accepted then was deeply unfair and its consequences have shaped every decade since. Climate change has added pressures on stocks. Visiting fleets, as Senator Boyle mentioned, have added more to worsening the crisis within the industry. This is having an impact on communities that they can no longer sustain.

The Irish fishing community has called out overfishing for years, but what it had to say in that regard has fallen on deaf ears in Europe. We have to be honest about that. The dogs in the street know what has happened in the fishing sector. The central question now is how Ireland can continue in the context of its current quota share. The facts say that we cannot do so, not if we expect thriving ports, viable processors and a meaningful future for the next generation of Irish fishermen.

There is another threat we must confront, and that is the danger of division. Some would set inshore against offshore and small boats against large boats. Division serves others in Europe but it does not serve Ireland well. If we go to Brussels divided, we go weakened. If we stand together, we stand strong. I am glad to see much progress in recent years to bring unity to the sector.

I want to tackle a damaging myth that can often be peddled in the media, including social media, namely the idea that Ireland’s challenges are the fault of a handful of so-called large fishermen. These large operators are Irish employers. They support Irish ports and processing and operate under Irish rules and the Irish tax regime. They are not the cause of our historical disadvantage. The root problem has always been the size of the deal Ireland received, not the size of the boats that stayed loyal to this country. What can we do now, within our own control? First, we must have targeted financial supports to modernise the fleet and sustain processors. Second, there should be a succession plan benefiting young people who want to enter the industry. We have a green certificate for farming, so let us have a blue certificate for the fishing industry. Third, we should ensure sensible consolidation in both the fleet and processing sector, not ports. However, we need to support this.

There is potential in the industry that must be recognised. It is not too late to continue to carry out this work. However, national measures alone cannot correct a structural injustice created at European level. That is why the upcoming December Agriculture and Fisheries Council and a much talked about review of the Common Fisheries Policy are critical for the industry’s survival. The Seafood Alliance has some clear points in an emergency plan. I urge the Minister of State to ensure Ireland enters the upcoming negotiations and the Common Fisheries Policy review with clear priorities. These are the fundamental revision of quota shares, reflecting Ireland’s role as a major coastal state; fair burden sharing for the post-Brexit era; stronger protection for our waters; a policy that rewards climate responsibility; and one strong Irish negotiating position that is cross-departmental, at ministerial level and involving stakeholders. The fishing industry is not seeking special treatment; it is seeking fair treatment, a fair share of the resource that surrounds this island and a fair chance to survive. My commitment, which I hope is the commitment of this House, is to stand with our fishermen, crews, processors and coastal towns and villages throughout the country. Ireland is a proud maritime nation and deserves fairness. By God, we will fight for it.